Scheduling applications, calendaring applications, and organizers are deployed in various systems and environments, such as on personal computers, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), and the Internet. Such applications have been used to notify subscribers of scheduled activities. However, when a subscriber receives a notification or reminder, the subscriber is typically left to initiate an activity related to the specific scheduling entry. In some cases, such applications are used to schedule conference calls, as well as to leave prerecorded messages.
Although subscribers must be reachable by the scheduling or other application to receive notifications or reminders, this is not always the case. Some network and service providers currently offer wake-up calling services to subscribers on public-switched telephone and cellular networks. These providers, however, offer limited scheduling functionality.
In addition to wake-up calling services, some providers allow for the scheduling of conference calls. Conference calls require “conference servers,” which include audio bridges, such as a multipoint control units (“MCU”). An MCU, for example, is a specialized device that mixes multiple audio inputs, generates a composite audio signal, and sends the generated signal to each of the participating endpoint devices. An audio conference, for example, may be initiated using “dial-in” or “dial-out” connection methods. In a dial-in connection, each of the participants has knowledge of a scheduled call prior to the call, and initiates a call to the MCU telephone number at a predetermined time. Once the participant's endpoint is connected with the MCU, the participant becomes a member of the conference call. Thus, the MCU maintains multiple call legs to endpoint devices; the input and output audio channels/streams are established between each participant and the MCU. There are no audio channels established directly between participants.
In a dial-out configuration, conferences may be scheduled with appropriate configuration conferencing software. At the scheduled time, an MCU initiates multiple outbound calls, that is, one outbound call per participant. Once each participant's endpoint is connected with the MCU, she/he becomes a member of the conference. As in the case of the dial-in connection, the MCU forms a hub and maintains multiple call connections to multiple endpoint devices. Again, there are no audio channels established directly between participants. Although multi-party conferences may be automated, such automation must use the dial-out connection method. No peer-to-peer connections and no peer-to-peer audio channels are formed in the dial-out configuration. Even if a two-way conference call could be scheduled, such a call would use disproportionate resources (e.g., an MCU) for a two-way call. The use of an MCU only makes sense from a resource management perspective when such a two-way conference call is extended to more than two participants.
In addition to conference calling, three-party calling is known. Unlike conference calling, three-party (“three-way”) calling requires a special three-port trunk in the server or switch in combination with a simple audio bridge. Three-way calling always starts from a two-way telephone call. After the two-way call is established, a caller may extend the call to a three-way communication session by adding a third party. Three-way calling, however, requires active involvement of a participant who initiated the call to use her/his telephone to connect the third party to the call. Generally, a participant may add a third party by (1) pressing a programmed button (e.g., “recall”) or switchhook to place the first party on hold, (2) listening for a dial-tone, (3) dialing the telephone number of a third party, (4) forming a new telephone call with the third-party, (5) pressing the programmed button again, thereby connecting all three parties. Because of the active participation required to form the call, no scheduling software is available for this type of three party call.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide extended functionality and improved scheduling capabilities in the telephony domain.
It would also be desirable to provide peer-to-peer call scheduling without relatively expensive and specialized equipment normally used to form conference calls.